1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to single stage snowthrowers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a single stage snowthrower capable of more efficiently throwing snow than the prior art single stage snowthrowers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically a single stage snowthrower has a gas engine or electric motor mounted on an impeller housing containing a single impeller. The impeller may have axial vanes or vanes configured with a center paddle joined on each side to an helical auger end section. The housing contains a front opening for receiving snow. The snow entering the housing is then scooped up by the rapidly rotating vanes and hurled through a chute and out of the snowthrower.
A number of patents have issued describing single stage snowthrowers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,869 describes a snowthrower having a straight center paddle and auger end sections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,594 describes a single stage snowthrower with a curved center paddle and very short auger-like end sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,661 to Speiser et al. describes a unit in which an axial paddle ejects snow through a series of flexible vanes which are spaced axially above the impeller. This construction lacks the ability to throw snow long distances.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,356 to Haban describes a single stage snowthrower with a short center paddle and long auger end sections. A vertical round chute and complementary paddle is depicted.
Most single stage snowthrowers can handle dry snow well. On the other hand, wet and packed snow presents an almost insurmountable problem for most single stage snowthrowers. Efforts to remove wet or packed snow at a rapid rate will generally cause the snow to form an immovable plug within the exit chute which prevents further snow removal. In order to unclog the chute it must be stopped and the plug removed. The process is cumbersome, time consuming and at times, if done carelessly and negligently, dangerous.
Clogging is particularly acute where a relatively long central paddle section is used to concentrate the snow through the chute. If a curved paddle is used snow is thrown from both ends of the paddle at an angle to the main direction of movement, across the center line, and against the walls of the chute thereby exaggerating the clogging phenomena.